Blank-serving apparatus for rolling mills



Dec. 17, 1929. E. vA. NELSON BLANK' sEnvING APPARATUS Foa ROLLING MILLS Filed April 9, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet www.

A TTORNEY.

Dec. 17, 1929. E. A. NELSON BLANK SERVING APPARATUS FOR ROLLING MILLS 3 Sheets-Sheet N ...w n. 0 N .U-.nm L W E WN A u am .M E i .NN 1 0 Q Q O L1 -Lli'ww oN N oN Hm\ m m.. Q Q 1Q1|| mn Q n. w nllwuiwl D I" u, 01.1 O n m,

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 17, 1929. E. A. NELSON BLANK SERVING APPARATUS FOR ROLLING MILLS Filed April 9, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet La nl INVENTOR. Emu. A. NeLsoN 8%@ A TTORNE Y Patented Dec. -17, 1929 UNITED STATES- PATENT oFr-ICE EMIL A. NELSON, OF ABINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BUDI) 'WHEEL COM- PANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA BLANK-SERVING APPARATUS FOB `ROLLING MILLS Application filed pril 9,f1925. Serial No. 21,798.

- My invention relates to blank-serving apparatus adapted especially to feed substan-l tially flat blanks to the rotatable working elements of tapered disc forging machines of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 21,797, filed April 9, 1925. In

these machines a substantially flat blank is vcentered upon a rotating working element, and is tapered by engaging it under pressure by traversing rolls which spin and roll the blank to -tapered form by radial traversing movement from the center outwardly in engagement with the blank. In operating according to production requirements, the rotating working element is maintained in rotation continuously. But the engagement of the traversing rolls with the blank is periodic,

the machine containing devices to effect a periodic movement of relative approach and 2o separation of the traversing rolls and the rotating blank support. The worked blank is removed from and a fresh blank is fed to the rotating working element just before and during. the separated relation of the same l to the traversing rolls. While ofv this especial adaptation,however, my invention will doubtless be found to have other adaptations in related fields. i The principal object of my invention is to produce'an automatic mechanism to effect transfer of the blank being served to and from the 'work-rotating axis. In devices heretofore used, this transfer has been manually effected. -The automatic mechanism of my invention enables a machine to be fed not only more reliably, but also with far greater speed and safety to the operator.

Other objects of the invention are the production of a blank-serving device of that great sturdiness which this heavy work requires, which will operateunfailingly over long`periods of time without attention-for adjustment, alignment or repairs.

Another obj ect is the production of a blankserving device which enables the operator to handle the blanks with a maximulnof convenience.

lA still further object is a serving device which will ha'ndle the blank served after be- 60 ing worked in a manner insuring the preservation of the surface perfections of the blank and keep the served blank under guard during all its movements. Certain other mechanisms which have been -produced have released the blank to gravitational control over irregular passageways which introduced an undesirable marring of its surface.

Fig. 1 is a central section in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of a machine for forging tapered discs in which the blankservin mechanism ofmy invention has been embo led.' v Fig. 2 is a horizontall plan view of the blank-serving mechanism taken in a plane just above the rotatable platen or working element of the machine being served.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the feeding-in portion of the mechanism in its position of transfer of the fed blank.

Fig. 4 is a similar section of the blank-removing portion of the serving mechanism in a position to effect transfer from /the workingaxis to the removing device. ig. 5 is a detail of the centering means of the feeding portion of the apparatus.

Fig. 6 is a artial view of the section of Fig. 1 showing t e parts in different relations.

The machine for forging tapered discs itself is designated in general M. It is described in full in myco-pending application aforesaid. Suffice it to say here that it comprises a rotatable Working element B in the form of a blank-supporting platen upon the top of which the blanks served are to be laid and removed, and co-acting traversing rolls R supported in their coacting positions respectively b sub base 10 and. roll head H connected together through the columns C. And further, that the movement;I of approach and separation is effectedvby axial movement ofv the blank support B through mechanism A comprised of a group of toggles which, when set.`raise the rotatable working element B to engage the blank with the rolls R', and when released, permit the workin element B to drop awa from the rolls R. It is just before and uring the separated relation of the working element B and traversing rolls R that the blanks to be formed into tapered discs are to be fed chine.

The blank-serving apparatus of my inven-f' tion comprises two the feeding-in portion, and the other Rthe blank-.removing portion. In many respectsthey are alike. They both embody the automatic features of my invention. y*

The feeding-in mechanism comprises an expansive blank supporting plate 11 horizontally arranged, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, of

to and removed from the masufficient expanse to support a blank in graviyso ing plate 11 and is provided with tational balance with ease irrespect-ive of the' shifting of center of gravity of the blank within moderate ranges 'and irrespective'of the degreeof rapidity of movement within moderate range. This expansive supportingplate 11 .is supplemented by a blank centering pin 12 carried by a resilient arm 13 anchored to the outer end of the blank-supporting plate 11, and through its resiliency yieldingly biased to the body of' late 11. The in 12 overlies the outer end o the supporta knob 14 by means of which it may be raised and lowered fromand to the face of the plate 11 at its` inner extremity. The outer end of plate 11 is forked and the crotch of thev forkis of substantially circular form co-axia1 with the axis of pin 12. Having 'no blank bet-ween them,

the parts occupy the relation shown in Fig. 5..

Here it will be noted that the bottom end .of inl 12 is Well rounded. The resultis that a lank 15 to be fed into the machine may byv its edge-be insinuated between .the rounded end of pin 12 and the upper face of the lblank supaligned with pin 12, and

port 11 and vmoved laterally therebetween until the preformed aperture in its center is engaged by the pin 12, whereupon the' inserted blank is lockedv in position upon the feedingin Vdevice and centered thereby. Or else the pin 12 may be lifted by the knob 14 and the insertion made by a free passage of the blank between t-he forked end of platell and the pin until the preformed central aperture is upon release of knob 14, engaged thereby. v

These parts are carried in combination at the upper end of an upwardly and inwardly extending bracket A16 anchored centrally `to the front member 17 of the tubularsupport-l ing frame 18 yof the feeding-in device. This frame, while rectangular, is open on its reark Side and therefore U-shaped. The'workman can therefore stand within the borders of the frame or reach therein/easily gripping the side members of frame 18 with his hand and shove the frame back andforth toward and from the rotating workingA element B of the machine. The frame is made strong and rugged b v the employment of corner brackets 19 of rolled or cast construction, preferably brazed or welded in place. These corner brackets are each provided with a lateral eX- tension 20 bearing an anti-friction roller 21 upper portions, the one F y21' project.

ends of the trackway.

uponwhich the frame is supported, and'upon whichit moves on its path .of movement. y

The path of movement is established byV horizontally-extending trackways y22 in the form of arms ,secured'to the columns C of the machine by means of brackets 23 removably and' adjustably bolted therearound. These trackways contain on their inner faces laterally opening grooves 24 into which the rollers These grooves 24 are comprised of upper and lower branches of different lengths. In the case of the feeding-in portionof the mechanism, the upper branch of groove 24 extends throughout the length of the'upper portion of the lower branch extends from the inner end of the trackway to a grooves are connected together rby a vertically-extending shunt groove 25, and at the intermediate pointvby a switch groove' and switch point 26 and 27,' respectively. At its outer end the groove 24 is provided with a downwardly and inwardly extending branch 28 in the form of an arc drawn from a center the trackway, Whereas point intermediate the Atthe inner ends, the

a distance from the`outer end equal to the l distance between the inner andf outer rollers 21 of frame 18, and on a radius equal to the same distance. 'Y When the frame l18 is moved rearwardly to the end of the track, the outer rollers 21 abut the closed end 29 the vouter end of the frame may be swung downwardly, arc-shaped vgroove 28 asthe frame 18 turns the rollers 21 passing in to the of the groove 24. Then f about the front rollers as a center until itk Y approaches a substantially vertical position in which the entire assemblage of parts, particularly those at the inner end of the mechanism, are removed fromV immediate adjavcency to the machine'thereby to enable the operator or mechanic to stand between the trackways and between the mechanism andthe side of the machine whereby'towork' more conveniently upon it in the case of needed adjustment and repairs. When it is not desired to have the groove 28 entered by rollers 21, as in case of the normal operation',

of the feeding-in mechanism, the means 30 in the form of a block inserted in a slot .31 transversely of the groove 28 are provided to prevent the outside rollers 21' from being entered in the groove 28 ing with the normal operation of the device.

In normal operation, the` operator draws the frame 18 outwardly to the end of the groove 24, the outer rollers 21 approaching` or abutting the end wall 29. The inner rollers will then have passed through the switch 26 into the upper branch of groove24, the excess of the length of the upper branch over the lower being tween the inner suming the rotatable working element B to y v A under pressure or -v other abnormal condltions, and so1nterfer' greater than the distancebeand the outer rollers 21. As-

l'blank to be fed in is then insinuated by its thin outer edgebetween the under end'of the centering pin and the supporting'l plate 11 (Fig. 6), the under end of pin 12 being suitably rounded to permit this insertion, and the resiliency of spring arm 13 being such as not to too strongly oppose it. Or else the arm 13 may as aforesaid be lifted slightly by grasping the knob 14. The blank so inserted is then slid along the expansive support 11 until its central preformed centering aperture 32 is engaged by the lower end of pin 12 which, through the resiliency of the arm 13, immediately releasably locks the inserted blank 15 iny place. Thereupon the operator, during a separated relation ofthe working clement B yto the traversing rolls R', pushes the frame 18 forward, and the blank held in the upraised dotted line position shown in Fig. 5 is projected over the rotatable working element B until the centering ping12, the blank 15 and the centering pin 33 of the rotatable working element are in axial coincidence. In this feeding-in operation, the forked outer end of blank support 11 has received the base of centering pin 33 and assisted the normal alignment of the guiding 'groove 24 in the centering function, the support 11 finally coming to bear against the sides of the centering pin 33 by the parallel side walls of the fork in the crotch. The proportions of the parts are such that the distance between the inner rollers 21 and the axis of centering pin 12 is equal to the fixed distance between the shunt groove 25 and the axis of the rotatable working element B. The result is that at the moment coincidence is reached, the inner rollers 21 reach the shunt groove 25 and automatically the fore end of the frame drops from the upper branch of groove 24 to the lower branch, rollers 21 passing through shunt 25. This axial dropping ofthe fed blank projects the fed blank 15 substantially on to the centering pin 33, the upper end of which is tapered for easy entry intofthe centering aperture 32. Automatically the upper end of this centering pin 33 engages the under end of the centering pin 12 of the feeding-in mechanism and raises it from theaperture 32-of the blank against the tension of the carrying arm 13, the pin 12 restingupon the top end of the pin 33, as shown Fig. 3. Now the framework 18 is withdrawn, outer rollers 21 riding in the upper'branch of groove 24 and inner rollers 21 riding in the lower branch of groove 24. Upon the initial movement, the centering pin 12 is withdrawn from the top of centering pin 33 .and snapped 'down upon the face or the blank 15, now transferred to the centerpin 33. As the mechanism is retrogressed,

' it rides upon the fiat face of the blank ijntil the edge ofthe blank is reached when -it're-enters its normal relation to the forked end of support 11. In this attitude, the expansive blank support 11 of the mechanism lies substantially in the plane of the working surface of the rotatable working element B, so that the fedblank 15 is substantially parallel to that face. Therefore, during the removal of support 11, the fed blank is set down flatly upon the face of the workin element B and consequential rebound there rom prevented. Pin 12 bears it down. The blanksupport 11 is illustrated in substantial parallelism to the working element B, yet this parallelism may be approached only to the practical degree found most desirable. the blank support 11 is removed entirely from the workingzone,the roller21 passing through switch 26, and again raising the frontend of the frame 18 to the upper branch of groove 24 and elevating the blank support 11 to receive a fresh blank.

The removing mechanism R of serving apparatus is like the feeding-in mechanism ina number of substantial respects. In so far as these similarities exist, corresponding reference numerals have been used in designation of the parts. However, there exist substantial di {ference-s in the character and operation of t-he blank-centering pin and its supporting structure, and also of the proportions and arrangement of theupper and lower branches of the groove 24.

The centering pin of the removal mecha-v nism, designated 34, instead of being slotted and having a rounded end, is tubular and open at its lower end, the interior diameter being sutlicient to receive within itself the upper reduced end 35 of the centering pin 33 of the working element B. The outer diameter is preferably as shown somewhat less in diameter than the base of centering pin 36. Centering pin 34 is, too, angularly adjustable by means of the securing bolt 37 which clamps it to the end of its support.

The support instead of being a resilient arm is a rigid arm 38 carried in a rigid bracket 39, which latter, however, is pivotally mounted at 40 upon the bracket 16 which holds it along with the supporting plate 11 to the frame 18 carried in grooves 24. The arm and the centering pin which it carries are normally biased toward the blank-support 11 by means of compression spring 41, seated in socket 42 in bracket 16 and bearing on the under side of a bridge piece 43 under the outer end of bracket 39. On its upper side this bridge piece 43 carries a removable dog 44 in the form of a plate. This dog is engaged by a trigger 45 pivoted at 47 to the body of bracket 16 and having a depending end 46 adapted at the inner extremity of movement of frame 18 to be engaged by the adjustable dog 48 carried by the cradle 'frame 49 which supports the blank holder B and moves up and down therewith during the approach and ils - intermediate the ends of the trackways, and

' blank support 11 and lifting the blank bodily from centering pm the upwardly and outwardly -extending switch 27 at'the outer end of trackway. The end-most branch 28 and pertinent parts are provided as in the other portion of the mechamsm.

Assuming the fed blank to have been workedv upon, its removal is effected by this portion `of the mechanism as follows: The outwardly extending end 50 of arm 38 is depressed, causing engagement of detent 44 by trigger 45, and the retention of arm 38 and centering pin 34 in the raised position with respect to the blank support 11, shown in Fig. 4. Frame 18, which the outer extremity of the guiding grooves 24, the outer rollers 21 in the upper groove, and the innerv rollers in the lower grooves, is moved forward. ,At about the time the work being done upon the fed-in blank is completed, the outer edge of the blank being dished up by the spinning and rolling operation, the forked end ofthe blank support 11 is inserted beneath. this Aupstanding edge and moved slowly forward. At the instant the rolling operation is completed, the motion of the frame 18 is accelerated suddenly projecting the blank support 11 until the crotch of its forked end strikes the sides of the centering pin 36, and at substantially the same moment the depending end 47 of trigger 45 strikes the adjustable dog 48. This trips the trigger 45 and arm 38 is released, carrying centering pin 34 suddenly over the end of the centering pin 33 of the working element- At the same moment, the sides of the frame 18 bear the lendmo'st roller 21 through the shunt 25 into the lower groove, simultaneously lifting the inner end of the mechanism comprised by 33. The relative weights of mechanism on opposite sides of horizontal axis defined by the front rollers is such that operation of lifting the blank takes place automatically as a result of the outer roller 21 reaching the shunt 25, both spring 41 and the action of gravity assisting in this automatic transfer initiated throu h the automatic release of the trigger 45. Bgrame 18 is immediately withdrawn, rollers 21 thus all passing through the lower branch of groove 24, until switch 27 -is reached, whereupon the outer rollers 21 pass again to the upper groove. Pressing on the handle 50, the voperator removes centering pin 34 from the blank and removes the blank by hand. In this act, the arm 38 is again set in raised position through the reengagement of trigger 45 over detent 44, and the device is until now has rested in.

lin its separated tracks 22 upon `the columns C lsage of one end centering pin 34 and ready for a reapproach for the removal of the succeeding worked blank. i p

Both the feeding-in mechanism F and the removing mechanism R of the serving apparatus bear a very definite relation to the face of the working element B which relais avoided, and the fresh blank may be fed all the way in between the traversed rolls R before se aration movement of the working element as taken place.A This saves time. The relations of the parts'are also such that when the rotatable working element is in its position of separation from th'e rolls R illustrated in Fig. 3, and the 'automatic movement 25, are elevated above the face of the i Thereby fouling of the blank with affecting transfer of the blank has taken place through shunt 25, the blank supporting plate l proper elevation to effect .proper the blank to the working element position under the conditions outlined above. In otherwords, the blank support 11 then occupies aposition of substantial parallelism with the working face of the support. This relation may be adjusted to some extent through the height of bracket 16 as well as through the elevation of the In any case, frame 18`is moved toward the machine horizontally disposed in the elongated upper branch of groove 24 and removed therefrom downwardly inclined by reason of return pasguide in the fore shortened under branch of groove 24.

On the other hand, the removal portion of the mechanism frame 18 is moved toward the machine in the downwardly inclined position established by the movement of the outer rollers in the upper fore shortened branch of groove 24, and the inner rollers-21 in the elongated lower branch. Elevation of the blank support 11 adjusted by the same factors as in the case of feeding-in mechanism F is such that it occupies its plane of substantial parallelism to the face of the `working element B when that working element is in its upppr or approached relation tp working base Thereby the automatic action of transfer above described may take place freely the moment traversing rolls have cleared the lies at the transfer of periphery ofthe worked blank, With proper adjustment of partsof the machine, the

movement of separation takesplace either simultaneously* with the transfer operation lan or just following the operation of transfer whereupon the automatic action of transfer and removal is still further assisted by very reason of the movement of separation, the

tablishment of this position -of coincidence,

the transfer of the blank is effected automatically, a blank moving initially along the path of the working axis, and in case of removal subsequently along the rectilinear path aforesai A very useful minor feature of the mechanism is a depending metallic apron 51 hung transversely of the tracks pivotally or exibly from the transverse member of frame 18. This metal apron not only protects the operator from grease thrown from the machine, but also from an accidently displaced blank which might be thrown or fall beneath the mechanism.

My invention is capable of man'y modifications without departing from its generic spirit. All such modifications are believed to fall within the purview of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a rotatable working element associated with a determinate work-rotating axis, means for supporting and centering a blank laterally of the work-rotating axis, guiding means for said supporting and centering means establishing a path of movement thereof toward and from axial coincidence of the `centering means with the work-rotating axis, work-centering means associated with the work-rotating axis, and automatic means to transfer ablank from one centering means to the other actuated through the projection of the blank-supporting and centering means to a position of axial coincidence with the workrotating axis. y

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the means supporting and centering the blank is adapted to receive an unworked blank and to effect its transfer tothe rotatable working element.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the blank supportingand centering means s adapted to automatically effect transfer of a blank from the rotatable working element'to itself and to remove it from the machine.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the automatic transferring device comprises a direction-changing device for the path of movement.

5.`An apparatus according to claim l in which the guiding means establishing the path of movement of supporting and centering means is a trackway and the directionchanging device is embodied in the trackway.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the automatic transferring mechanism comprises an adj unctive guide means for the blank-sup orting and centering means, and a device or transferring the guiding function from one of said guiding means to the other.

7. ,A machine according to claim 1 in which the guiding means are trackways at different elevations having shuttle connections with each other.

8. An ap aratus according to claim 1 in whichv the lank-supporting and centering means is carried by a frame bodily movable 1n an horizontal plane toward and from the rotatable working element, and the automatic transferring mechanism' embodies automatic means to change the angularity of the supporting frame when the position of axial coincidence is reached.'A

9. A machine according to claim 1 inwhich the guiding means bearing the supporting frame is a trackway in an horizontal plane, and the` automatic transferring mechanism comprises an adjunctive trackway parallel'- reached, and also a switch throughwhich the supporting frame is returned to its initial position.

10. An apparatus according to'claim 1 in which the automatic-transfer mechanism includes a blank-centering means spaced from the blank support during the approach to the position of axial coincidence, automatically lowered to thesupport when axial coincidence is' reached. v

11. An a paratus according to claim 1 in. which the lank-centering means is yieldingly biased toward the support, and provided with mealis to retain 1t spaced from said support against its bias but automatically released when the position of axial coincidence is reach.

. 12. In combination,y a rotatable blank working element, and an automatic blankof axial coincidence with said rotatable work- 1oo I ing element and embodying a transfer device automatically operated through the projection of the mechanism into coincidence. Y

13. A blank-serving apparatus comprising co-acting holding members, means to move the holding members apart to release the held blanks, and locking means automatically operated through such'movement to retain the holding members apart ready to receive`a freshv blank. l s

14. A blank-serving vapparatus comprising co-acting .holding members, meansl to move the holdlngmem ers apart to release .the held y. blanks, locking means automaticallyoperated through such movement to v retain the' holding j members apart ready to receive a fresh blank,

and means responsive to a feeding movement: l@ of the'parts to release the lock and thereby permit the parts to take hold of a fresh blank.

15. A blank-serving apparatus comprising l a pair of spaced trackways, a U-shaped frame, v `reciprocable. in said trackways, opening outwardly to accommodate an operator between its arms, and a blank-su port carried from the transverse member olsaid frame.

In testimonywhereofl hereunto aix my signature. 2oV e EMIL A. NELSON- 

